Islam and Bible Prophecy
Bible prophecy predicted the rise and spread of Islam in the world. When a nation appears in prophecy it is because the destiny of God’s children will be affected by it. The prophecies about Islam are found in the trumpets of Revelation. The seven trumpets (Revelation chapters 8-11) retrace, to a large extent, the period of Christian history and emphasize the outstanding political and military events during these periods.
The first 4 trumpets reveal the history of how the Roman Empire was destroyed (Revelation 8). The last 3 trumpets (that deal with Islam) are called woe trumpets because of the terrible events that were to take place under them. “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound” (Revelation 8:13).
According to Revelation 8, there are three woes. A woe represents great distress, sorrow, or trouble. The 5th trumpet of Revelation is the first woe, the sixth trumpet is the second woe, and the 7th trumpet is the third woe (Revelation 8:12,13; Revelation 9:12; Revelation 11:14).
Under the 5th trumpet or the first woe (Revelation 9:1-12), Islam appears in Arabia – phase one. Its rise is dated from the “Hegira” (Muhammad’s flight to Medina) in 622 A.D. The various symbols of prophecy all point, to the Islamic Empire which established and extended its vast domains through military forces. This period escalated to the conflict between the Saracens and Islam versus Eastern Rome. According to Revelation 9:5, Islam in the Ottoman Empire scourged Rome for 150 years (1299-1449 AD).
Under the 6th trumpet or the second woe (Revelation 9:13-15), we read about the period that depicts the conflicts of the Turks and Muslims versus Eastern Rome (1449-1840 AD) – phase two. The Ottoman Empire fell on August 11, 1840—the exact date the preacher Josiah Litch predicted in the 1830s based on Bible prophecy. This Trumpets prophecy in Revelation 9:5,15 gave the exact duration of the rule of Ottoman’s (Muslim, Turks). Revelation 9:15 states that the Ottoman Empire would continue, “an hour, a day, a month and a year.” This prophetic time period equals 391 years and 15 days.
The Ottoman Empire was established as of July 27, 1449. Adding the 391 years and 15 days would reach to August 11, 1840. Based on this calculation, Josiah Litch, predicted that in 1838 that the Ottoman Empire would lose power on August 11, 1840!
And that’s exactly what happened. Egypt was threatening Turkey and was well able to conquer her. Hopeless, Turkey appealed to the European nations which agreed to protect her. The ultimatum they sent to Egypt arrived on the exact date, on August 11, 1840. And that was the end of the Ottoman Empire and God’s prophecy in Revelation 9 got fulfilled to the very letter.
Bible commentators like Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, Adam Clark, John Wesley, John fox…etc., taught without a doubt that the fifth and sixth trumpets apply to the rise and actions of Islam.
As for the third woe (Revelation 11:14), we have been living under the 7th trumpet since October 22, 1844. September 11, 2001 is a resurgent of the Islamic jihad – phase three. And we are seeing an increase in attacks from the fundamental elements of Islam (Al-Qaeda, Abu Sayyaf, Ansar al-Islam…etc.) around the world. Today, the spread of ISIS (a splinter of Al Qaida) and their destruction is an ongoing fulfillment of the 3rd woe on the world. These attacks will continue until the return of Jesus (Revelation 11:15).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
